Undocumented migrants caught trying to enter Sabah via Lawas
by Philip Kiew · Borneo Post OnlineLAWAS (Dec 12): The Immigration Department here foiled an attempt by five undocumented foreigners to enter Sabah through the Merapok Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (ICQS) Complex on Thursday.
In a statement posted on Facebook, ICQS Merapok Lawas said its enforcement officers detained the foreigners at 8.30am.
“The incident occurred when their vehicle was passing through the lane of the Sarawak Immigration counter enroute to Sabah.
“Officers there were alerted by suspicious movements inside the vehicle driven by the suspect and ordered all individuals to step out,” said the post.
A subsequent inspection found that none of the individuals had valid identification documents and were all believed to have committed immigration offences.
“They were detained and handed over to the Lawas Enforcement Unit for further action,” added the post.
The individuals also failed to provide any reasonable explanation regarding their documentation status and are believed to have violated provisions under the Immigration Act 1959/63.
ICQS Merapok Lawas said the swift action of its personnel successfully thwarted the attempt by undocumented migrants to exit Sarawak without proper immigration checks, reflecting the integrity and alertness of officers in safeguarding national security.
“Such efforts will continue to ensure cross-border cases are strictly monitored and controlled,” added the post.